Police have now charged nine teenagers following a terrifying outbreak of violence at a packed Sydney shopping centre in the run-up to Christmas. The alleged brawl sent shoppers, including young families visiting Santa, fleeing in fear.
Chaos Erupts in Busy Food Court
The incident unfolded at Sydney's Broadway Shopping Centre shortly before 6pm on December 10. According to reports, a fight allegedly broke out between a group of youths and another boy. Disturbing footage that later circulated online showed a mob of teens running amok through the second-level food court.
In a shocking escalation, the group were seen wielding metal chairs, which were allegedly hurled during the confrontation. The violence was not contained, with innocent bystanders reportedly becoming caught up in the chaos as chairs fell onto the lower level of the centre.
Police Investigation Leads to Multiple Arrests
The teenagers involved had left the scene by the time police arrived. Fortunately, no injuries were reported despite the frightening scenes.
New South Wales Police launched a thorough investigation. Initially, seven teens aged between 15 and 17 were charged and their matters are now before the courts. An eighth teenager, aged 18, was arrested in the inner-city suburb of Newtown on Tuesday and charged with affray. He appeared in court and was granted bail to reappear at the Downing Centre Local Court on January 14.
Following further inquiries, a ninth teenager, aged 16, was arrested in Waterloo in the early hours of Saturday. This youth was also charged with affray and is scheduled to appear in a children's court at a later date.
Community Shock and Ongoing Tensions
Video of the alleged brawl spread rapidly on social media, with one clip attracting more than a million views, highlighting widespread concern. Witnesses described scenes of panic amongst families who were simply enjoying the festive season.
"There were kids taking Santa photos and they looked so scared," one shocked witness said. "The parents were in genuine fear for their kids asking what was going on."
Detective Chief Inspector Grant Watson indicated that police believe the violence was linked to growing tensions between two rival groups. "We have been working very closely with those groups to try and resolve this issue," he told reporters. "Unfortunately, it has spilt over into the shopping centre and it's appalling it has spilt over into the shopping centre at Broadway where people were just going about their business."
Police investigations into the incident are continuing.
